Drawer support



April 23, 1954 c. D. TRAVIS 3,131,009

- DRAWER SUPPORT Filed Jan. 18, 1962 M HHHFHLIHI MM RHIIIJ INVE R.

CHARLES D. TRAVIS BY 2 m ATTORN United States Patent 3,131,009 DRAWER SUPPORT Charles D. Travis, Rte. 1, Williamstown, W. Va. Filed Jan. 18, 1962, Ser. No. 167,104 2 Claims. (Cl. 312346) This invention relates to a guiding support for drawers and the like and more particularly to a support which is vertically adjustable.

It is an object of the invention to produce a drawer guiding support which may be employed in cabinet structures of the type typically used in residential kitchen installations, as well as in other conventional structures having sliding drawers and the like.

Another object of the invention is to produce a drawer guiding structure which may be adjusted vertically to compensate supporting structure alignment.

A further object of the invention is to produce a drawer guiding support which may be readily and economically manufactured.

Typically, the invention comprises two spaced parallel rear supports, a front support having a substantially rectangular drawer receiving aperture formed therein, a horizontal drawer slide member at each lower corner of the drawer receiving aperture having one end thereof aflixed to the front support and extending rearwardly terminating along the inner side of the respective ones of the spaced rear supports, the rear-most end of each of the slide members having vertically adjustable fastening means for connection to respective ones of the rear supports, each of the slide members having an inwardly extending horizontal drawer supporting surface and spaced upper inwardly extending horizontal drawer guide for sliding engagement within a slot formed in the respective side walls of an associated drawer.

The above objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will be manifest from a reading of the following detailed description of the invention when considered in the light of the attached drawing, in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention with portions partially cut-away;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the invention similar to FIG. 1 with the associated drawer removed; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view of the invention with the associated drawer illustrated in phantom lines.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown a drawer generally indicated by reference numeral having a front panel 12, a rear panel 14, side panels 16, 18, and a bottom panel 20. The drawer 10 is mounted for horizontal movement within a supporting frame which includes a pair of spaced apart vertically extending rear supports 22, 24, a pair of similar spaced apart vertically extending front supports 26, 28. The rear supports 22 and 24 are interconnected by a horizontal member 30; while the front supports 26 and 28 are interconnected by a pair of spaced horizontal members 32 and 34 which define a generally rectangular drawer receiving aperture.

The upper faces of the vertically extending supports 22, 24, 26, and 28, and the upper egde portions of the horizontally extending members 30 and 32 provide support for a top section 36, the bottom surface of which may be suitably secured to the supporting structure by screws, nails, glue, etc.

For slidably mounting and guiding the drawer 10 within the aforedescribed supporting structure is a pair of spaced apart horizontally disposed elements 38 and 40.

The elements 38 and 40 are provided with inwardly extending drawer supporting surfaces 42 and 44, respectively, and inwardly extending spaced drawer guiding surfaces 46 and 48, respectively.

The front portion of each of the elements 38 and 40 is provided with an aperture for receiving a threaded fastener 50 and 52, respectively, for suitably securing the same to the horizontal member 34. The rear portion of each of the elements 38 and 40 is provided with an elongate slot 54 and 56, respectively, for receiving a suitable fastener for adjustably securing the rear portions thereof to the associated one of the rear vertically extending supports 22 and 24, respectively.

Although the drawing shows the apertures for receiving the threaded fasteners 50 and 52 as being in the drawer supporting surfaces of the elements 38 and 40, it will be appreciated that in certain applications these apertures may advantageously be provided in the vertically disposed portions of the elements.

To be satisfactorily employed with the structure thus far described, the sides 16 and 18 of the drawer 10 are provided with horizontally extending grooves or slots 58 and 60, respectively. These slots 58 and 60 are adapted to receive the inwardly extending guiding surfaces 46 and 48, respectively, of the elements 38 and 40. Therefore, it will be seen that with the drawer 10 in position within the structure, the marginal edge portion of the bottom 20 of the drawer 10 will be slidingly supported by the upper portion of the inwardly extending supporting surfaces 42 and 44.

Any misalignment which might occur in the supporting structure can be readily compensated for by adjusting either or both of the rear portions of the drawer supporting and guiding elements 38 and 40 by loosening the threaded fastener associated with the appropriate slot 54 or 56. When the fastener is loosened the rear portions may be moved up and down, as required, to provide the proper alignment and then the fastener is tightened and the drawer inserted for use.

The drawer supporting and guiding elements 38 and 40 are typically formed of metal but may also be formed of other materials such as wood, plastic, etc.

The invention has proven to be very satisfactory in numerous installations which typically include kitchen cabinets, tables, and other structures employing drawers.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes I have explained the principle and mode of operation of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. In a structure as described, two spaced parallel vertically extending rear supports, a front support spaced from said rear supports and having a substantially rectangular drawer receiving aperture formed therein, a horizontal drawer slide member at each lower corner of the drawer receiving aperture having one end fastened to said front support and extending rearwardly terminating adjacent the inner side of respective ones of said spaced rear supports, means for adjusting said one end in a plane, the rear-most end of each of the slide members fastened to respective ones of said rear supports, means for adjusting said rear-most end in a plane perpendicular to said 1 first-mentioned plane, each of said slide members having an inwardly extending horizontal drawer supporting surface for supporting the bottom surface of an associated drawer and a spaced upper inwardly extending horizontal drawer guide for sliding engagement within a slot formed in the respective side Walls of said associated drawer.

2. In a structure as described, a generally vertically disposed rear support, a front support having a substantially rectangular drawer receiving aperture formed therein, a horizontally disposed drawer supporting element having one end thereof afiixed to said front support at each of the lower corners of the rectangular aperture and extending rearwardly terminating adjacent the inner side of respective ones of said rear support, means for adjustably fastening said one end in a plane, the other end of said supporting element provided with means for adjustably fastening the rear of said element to said rear support 5 in a plane perpendicular to said first-mentioned plane, each of the drawer supporting elements being generally U-shaped in cross-section providing an inwardly extending horizontal surface for supporting the marginal edges of the bottom of an associated drawer, and an upwardly 10 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Kendall June 11, 1889 Hollman et a1. Dec. 22, 1931 Muirhead Apr. 22, 1941 Maxwell July 11, 1961 

1. IN A STRUCTURE AS DESCRIBED, TWO SPACED PARALLEL VERTICALLY EXTENDING REAR SUPPORTS, A FRONT SUPPORT SPACED FROM SAID REAR SUPPORTS AND HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR DRAWER RECEIVING APERTURE FORMED THEREIN, A HORIZONTAL DRAWER SLIDE MEMBER AT EACH LOWER CORNER OF THE DRAWER RECEIVING APERTURE HAVING ONE END FASTENED TO SAID FRONT SUPPORT AND EXTENDING REARWARDLY TERMINATING ADJACENT THE INNER SIDE OF RESPECTIVE ONES OF SAID SPACED REAR SUPPORTS, MEANS FOR ADJUSTING SAID ONE END IN PLANE, THE REAR-MOST END OF EACH OF THE SLIDE MEMBERS FASTENED TO RESPECTIVE ONES OF SAID REAR SUPPORTS, MEANS FOR ADJUSTING SAID REAR-MOST END IN A PLANE PERPENDICULAR TO SAID FIRST-MENTIONED PLANE, EACH OF SAID SLIDE MEMBERS HAVING AN INWARDLY EXTENDING HORIZONTAL DRAWER SUPPORTING SURFACE FOR SUPPORTING THE BOTTOM SURFACE OF AN ASSOCIATED 